Durban High School will play their last match of the 2024 schoolboy rugby season against Jeppe High School for Boys at home on Van Heerden’s Field on Saturday, August 3, 2024.
This game will bring the curtain down on outstanding seasons for both 1st XVs, who stand a chance of finishing the year inside the national Top 10.
Both schools have also made significant strides in their efforts to turn around their rugby fortunes since the start of the 2010s.
While the season may go down as one of Jeppe’s best ever, for DHS there is the added opportunity to achieve the highest finish by the most transformed 1st XV in South African schoolboy rugby history.
DHS has one white player in this year’s regular starting line-up, putting them on par numerically with the standout Dale College team of 2016, coached by the legendary Griffy Griffiths.
Dale College finished tenth in the rankings in 2016, a feat matched by DHS last year, when they had two white players in the first-choice run-on team.
A win against Jeppe on Saturday would almost certainly guarantee coach Peter Engledow’s DHS a higher finish than tenth, while a draw or a close defeat might also be enough to secure the record.
@Playa (Comment #46)
To add those “useless” facts is another impactful player, Kwanda Dimaza at number 7. He is currently at the Pumas.
@Roger (Comment #52)
Terrence Knickelbein and Steven Hall are the two Dale names I remember…
@Roger (Comment #51)
It was a photo/mural with all the players and the results – I don’t know how to upload it here. They beat Grey Bloem, Grey PE, Paarl Gim, Wynberg, Rondebosch, KES, Queens (home and away), Selborne (home and away) etc etc. Played 17 won 17. Points for: 604 points against: 107. Garth Griffith is listed as having played 60 games for the Dale 1st XV and the flyhalf (Sean Sharp) played 53 !! They must have both repeated matric (or done post matric) and made their debuts in grade 10!
DALE 1993 TEAM
that 1993 Dale team was PROPER. I remember them putting 40 odd points on KES that year. I remember seeing a post on Facebook about that team – I’ll see if I can find it.
@Playa (Comment #46)
I first saw Fassie play for Dale against Queens that year ,he tore them to shreds….
@Kaya 85 (Comment #47)
His application must have gotten lost in the mail. Thats the only explanation I can think of
I’m not comfortable with the calling out of race here. People will jump up and down BUT here in the UK we just don’t care about race. We go on merit only. You could be pink if we care. Having one white kid in the team isn’t an achievement it’s a reflection of the area or type of kid going to the school, doesn’t matter. Glenwood is now probably 70% black, 20% Asian and 10% white, I don’t care. DHS is probably similar. Affies is the complete opposite of that. Go Green in 2025!
@Playa (Comment #46)
Awesome, thanks for the info … Fassi the 15 I surmise…
Triplets, haven’t seen that too often. Wonder why Lukhanyo didnt go to Dale.
@Kaya 85 (Comment #41)
Missed this. Vleis is right, coach and DoR was Griffy, supported by Barry Hayidakis (his center partner from the Dale unbeaten 1993 side).
Some useless facts:
1. The Number 8 and captain of that 2016 side, Siyanda Am was Bok center, Lukhanyo Am’s brother.
2. Number 9, 10 and 11 were triplets.They also played for the 1st XI cricket team.
3. Number 15 needs no introduction I guess.
@Kaya 85 (Comment #41)
I’m not close to Dale, so it’s probably best to ask Playa. That said, the coach was Grant “Griffy” Griffiths, who was a legend at Dale.
@Buthelezi2 (Comment #24)
Lekker DHS!Good to seee them having improved from what seemed like a place of NO RECOVERY some 10 odd years ago.DHS is dubbed “Dale High School”in some corners. I reckon we must send DHS to next Dale-Selborne derby
Re Transformation
Rugby certainly has transformed when full teams are on scholarships, and in boarding houses, and recruited from far and wide across SA …but DHS certainly not the only ones.
In New Zealand they do exactly the same, but there they don’t go to a rural school like our Dale, they go find recruits in Samoa and Tonga and give them scholarships.
I’m thinking Jeppe might battle on Saturday…one bridge too far.
@Vleis (Comment #16)
Amazing…would love to know who those coaches and DoR were.
@Grizzly (Comment #39)
Yep, it’s all well and good to stop sports fixture with Glenwood for allegedly ‘ poaching grade 7 kids who had DHS bursaries, those kids who they accommodated in their BE during grade 7 (is that even legal) BUT all fine to recruit a KZN schools prop in grade 11. Hypocrisy on steroids. What’s even funnier is that DHS most likely would have walloped Glenwood in the past 5 years….
@Grasshopper (Comment #38)
Luckily I warned you I’m Afrikaans.Apologies if the message didn’t came across right. Yes,that exactly what I’m saying.
@Grizzly (Comment #36)
Misread that, are you saying DHS are hypocrites, then yes I agree….
@Grizzly (Comment #36)
Dude what you on about, Glenwood hasn’t been able to afford recruitment outside of KZN for 5 years plus now. Yes, a handful might come, but not what it used to be, reflects in the results. Afrikaans as a language in the school is tiny trickle of a few boys. Demographics at Glenwood have changed massively in the past 10 years….
@Grasshopper (Comment #31)
I remember when I started here in ’16 the ongoing banter from DHS bloggers and the not playing because of Glenwood scouting practices specially from Gauteng.Now half the their team is from other provinces….For an Afrikaans boy I’m going to use a big word, I think it’s called Hypocrite.
@Email Received (Comment #32)
Is the birth certificate issue solved or ongoing?
@beet (Comment #29)
I work on precedent ( how many references do you need?), not on Netflix documentaries. I am all “lightened up”, even after the terrible events at Pretoria Girls High. I feel for that Whatsapp group and headmistress, especially after reading the harmless Whatsapp texts.
@Email Received (Comment #32)
One of them who’s name is associated with a child-like bear was acquired from across the road at the Green school, that’s all fine and dandy…
The latest lie about DHS is that more than half our 1st Team is from the Eastern Cape.
To say this is a lie.
To let you know, out of the squad of 23, there are 5 players from the Eastern Cape. That’s a far cry from more than half the squad.
@Wyvern (Comment #30)
Uncle Saad is worth $1.4bn, so not sure the ice-cream van trips will stop. Remember it’s all OK for them to do this these days, in years gone by it was almost considered illegal in the rugby community, especially for any green vans doing the rounds…
@Grasshopper (Comment #27)
DHS have tried their luck with KC boys in the past (and this year I believe). They need to understand that privates prefer ‘gelato’ and not soft serve 😆. Do you think it’s sustainable for DHS or will the sugar and cream dry up?
@Deon (Comment #23)
Nah I disagree. People love feel good stories. The players would receive attention and plenty of support from neutrals.
You need to lighten up a bit
@Rainier (Comment #26)
I won’t take that bait
@Buthelezi2 (Comment #24)
The DHS ‘ice-cream’ bus doing the rounds in the Border and EC region, thanks uncle Saad…
@Wyvern (Comment #25)
That is a LOT closer than Hudson Park.
@Buthelezi2 (Comment #24)
Wow I didn’t know that!
@Vleis (Comment #16)
The fact that almost half of the current DHS 1st XV came from Dale Primary says so much about the talent in that region
@beet (Comment #21)
It may make headline news in the USA, but if having only one black player is described as good, preferable, progress, and transformation, you will be described as a Klansman named Goebbels on CNN. A truly transformed team would not notice or at least mention it in any way or boast with it. They will also lose their sponsors and black players, or aspirant players will really feel unwelcome. NOT if race rolls are turned around though. Why divide the team? As for the achievement it may be, or is for such a basket ball team, we can go that way but only on personal e-mail, and discuss how Prof. S. Ambassa, from I think Ghana, wrote in the American Journal of Human Biology, precisely the same as David Goggins on races and swimming and passing the Navy Seals tests, or Prof James Watson, or Tyla-OUTCRY, RACIST etc. It seems only certain “achievements” are to be celebrated, and other achievements are racist and an obsession with supremacy. Therefore, admire runners born in the Kenyan Highlands for the phenomenon they are etc., and never mention race. It is divisive and “untransformed”. I am sure whoever authored the article did not mean that.
Either way DHS is doing something well in terms of finding and developing their talent. Based on latest rankings their teams sit as follows:
u14s 5th in SA
u15s 11th in SA
u16’s 6th in SA
1st 10th in SA
I know ranking are not an exact science and not a perfect measure, but an indication that they have really good teams across the board and a strong pipeline. Scary for other KZN schools if Engledow stays and works with whats coming through.
@Deon (Comment #20)
Point taken but the context of your example seems incorrect. Using US basketball as an example I would say that if a College basketball team made up predominately of white players were to emerge and perform well in the NCAA tournament, it would make headline news because in the context of that sport as people perceive it in this day and age, it would a unique achievement.
@Smallies (Comment #19)
I agree 100% And then, realise, if you are truly transformed, as in the only meaning of the term transformed, you would recognise talent and achievement, not race, and would never write a race-based article like this. They are just talented, blessed, healthy schoolboys, not black or white schoolboys. Imagine writing an article on say USA basketball and claim all teams will only be doing well, or better,or should be congratulated, when the teams are representative of USA demographics. Outcries……and correctly so.
@Mate (Comment #18)
Dit is hoekom meriete die enigste maatstaf moet wees ,sodra dit nie is nie dan raak goed soos die skielik n issue ….kies jou beste span , dit maak nie saak watter kleur nie ,dit moet net die beste span in jou skool wees…
Ek dink dit was verlede jaar of die jaar tevore toe daar so bohaai oor Affies en Grey se leliewit spanne gemaak is
Ek wonder wanneer gaan die rugbypubliek eendag tevrede wees?
Seker wanneer Orania se 1ste span slegs een blanketjie in het
@Bert (Comment #14)
Shame, look and look again do you see a reference, to another comment, at my comment,bertie?
The most impressive aspect of Dale’s 1st XV in 2016, was the fact that it had undergone a humungous rebuild. The Dale u13A team in 2011 was sensational; however, most of said team landed up with bursaries at other high schools. It’s a bit hazy now, but I seem to remember that three landed up at Southdowns, three at Kingswood, three at DHS, three at Selborne and one or two elsewhere – e.g. Grey High. Most of these moves happened at the end of 2011, but some happened in 2012.
.
As one would expect, the Dale u15A and u16A teams of 2013 and 2014 performed very poorly…but by the time they were in matric, they were top 10 in the country. I watched that 2016 1st XV at the Grey festival and was not disappointed. It was like watching 15 highly skilled backline players running amok over their opponents.
@Bert (Comment #4)
Agree 100%. Strange how people try to sugarcoat obvious facts. The article is highly offensive.
@Wondermaar (Comment #13)
The whole post was about race. I didn’t raise it. Suggest you get reading glasses before you start lecturing me.
A schoolboy rugby year at the end and nobody mentioned anything about race in schoolboyrugby, let it be, stop going there.
Thank you all for your comments on my post. Still not happy about this but will reflect on your input.
@agter_die_pale_pa (Comment #9)
but even they could not fit M/College 1st XV in last year.
The KZN private school holidays pose a big challenge in a good calendar and 2024 was a vrot one. Add to this that all the privates and Westville stop playing rugby at the end of the second term. The state schools stopped fixtures a week earlier in June as well this year. So something has to give every year. Its not unusual to see state school vs private school fixtures missing of the KZN fixture list. It happens every year now.
The one great private on the Hill does try their best though.
@Bert (Comment #4)
I guess transformation might be deemed a success when more often than not, more teams like the 2016 Dale and 2024 DHS make the top 10/20 in school rankings where it becomes a norm that doesn’t require acknowledgment.
I notice that DHS and Hilton did not play this year, any specific reason? Just curious.
@Bert (Comment #4)
Mater as daai manne op meriete gekies is is daar geen probleem nie .ek dink ons skole rugby ,saru toernooie uitgesluit is die enigste plek in Suid Afrika waar spelers steeds uitsluitlik op meriete gekies word …hopelik kan dit aan hou om die geval te wees….
@Bert (Comment #4)
It wasn’t meant to be disrespectful to anyone including the DHS team who like a lot of the youth of today are probably a lot further removed from judging others based on race.
I think its unique achievement with historical SBR significance worth highlighting.
Also so many rugby lovers in SA including players ask to be evaluated on merit and here is a great example of an outstanding achievement based exactly on that.
@Bert (Comment #4)
Ha ha Bert I see what you mean but I think the meaning was more to acknowledge the strong emergence of many players of colour in our schools rather than squeezing out whitey to such an extent there is only 1 white player in the side. DHS does have a lot more white players in their lower age group teams, it’s just that this years first team is made up primarily of players of colour.
What I do like about the recent KZN resurgence over the last few years with strong teams coming out of DHS, Hilton, Maritzburg College, Michaelhouse, Westville and this year Northwood…is that we are seeing those KZN boys filter through into the Sharks ranks.
In the Currie Cup match played on Sat vs the Lions, 6 of the starting 15 are KZN high schools boys, with a 7th on the bench, across 4 High Schools in Maritzburg College, Hilton, Glenwood and Westville. That is great to see!
The URC squad also has a far greater showing of KZN boys, in the likes of Pepsi Buthelezi, Dylan Richardson, Fez Mbatha, Lappies Labuschane, Ethan Hooker, Ntuthuko Mchunu etc.
I see Jansen from MBC has already been signed by the Sharks, and with strong teams coming through like this DHS one above, I assume many will follow.
DHS the ‘most’ transformed 1st XV team in SA, with only one white player. That is apparently something to be celebrated. Only one white player. That will show them whiteys.
My question is simply this: when will transformation be deemed successful? When there is only ‘one’ white player left in a team? Does it depend on the particular demographics of a school? Or do we aim for schoolboy teams to reflect the national demographics? To seemingly take joy in having ONLY one white boy in a team doesn’t sit well with me.
Two of my favourite teams this year – both deserve Top10 finish. What I love most about them is that they are not afraid to take on the top schools. And I respect their passionate supporters that often share insights into the culture of their schools.
@Smallies (Comment #1)
They made a very big mistake because in his 3 years of coaching DHS they have not ranked outside the top12
This is the coach that did not have his contract renewed by Boishaai …I still think they made a huge mistake